Digital indicating machine

ABSTRACT

A digital indicating machine such as a digital clock comprises a number of endless indicating belts carrying letters, numerals or the like thereon and provided with a number of perforations along one of the lengthwise edges thereof, sprocket wheels are engaged with the perforations of said belts for travelling the belts to pass behind indicating windows, and driving wheels which drive pinions combined with or connected to the sprocket wheels intermittently. Because of the endless indicating belts and the intermittent driving mechanism for the belts, relatively large letters, numerals or the like for representing time etc. can be indicated at the indicating windows.

Kawada [54] DIGITAL INDICATING MACHINE Jan. 23, 1973 2,952,967 9/1960 Nussle' ..58/l25C 3,597,918 8/1971 Robinson [76] gzz gg f 3,603,073 9 1971 Terada etal ..58/6 R a apan [22] Fil d; M 20, 1971 Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley A. Wal [21] Appl. No.: 145,236 Attorney-Dawson, Tilton, Fallon & Lungmus [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT June 2, 1970 Japan ..4s 4s179 A i i indicating machine f digital comprises a number of endless indicating belts carry- {521 US. Cl. ..58/125 C letters numerals or the k thereon and provided [51] lnt.Cl. ..G04b 19/02 with a.number of perforauons along one of the [58] Field of Search .5 8/125 R, 125 c, 126 R, 126 E, F edges f wheels are f 58/2 R 4 A 6 A. 235/71 R 71 A with the perforations of said belts for travelling the belts to pass behind indicating windows, and driving 56 R f C1 d wheels which drive pinions combined with or con- I e erences e nected to the sprocket wheels intermittently. Because UNITED STATES PATENTS of the endless indicating belts and the intermittent driving mechanlsm for the belts, relatively large let- 2,072,457 3/1937 Larrabee ..58/126E te numerals or the like for representing time etc. 1311353 Taaffe ....235/71 A can be indicated at the indicating windows 7 l 5 ..58/6 A 2,930,183 3/1960 Nussle' ..58/l25 C 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures II J\ 6 //6 1 4 /7 (JJ/JI /a n If M H 1 I FF 4 v5 4; i. 3 27 I l x I J/ 7/ i at 7 47 b f 5 I 7 L1 I i "I 4.1 79 I i t x 43 P5 E/ E6 PATENTED JAN 2 3 [975 SHEET 1 [1F 4 a m m m m m u m u v PATENTEUJAH23 975 SHEET 3 BF 4 BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY This invention relates to a novel digital indicating machine such as a digital clock, and more particularly to a digital indicating machine which facilitates large indication of letters, numerals, signs or the like so that a person can read or confirm them easily and quickly.

There have increasingly been used a number of digital indicating machines such as digital clocks and digital electric meters. In such digital indicating machines, there are indicated at indicating windows letters, numerals, signs or the like which correspond to time, consumed electric quantity or the like. Such letters, numerals, signs or the like are usually marked on the periphery of a drum which is rotated intermittently. For example, in a usual digital clock, there are provided a plurality of time drums which carry numerals on their periphery to indicate time units such as minutes, hours etc. and each of said drums is rotated intermittently so as to indicate time at each point of time at the indicating window of the clock. In this case, each of said time drums is rotated in properly time relation.

The digital indicating machines according to the prior art have, however, a defect that each of indicating letters, numerals, signs or the like cannot be indicated in a large fashion due to the fact that said letters etc. are carried on the periphery of relatively small drums which are arranged in a defined space in a case and said space is further narrowed with driving means and means for transmitting rotation intermittently from a drum to a drum carrying numerals etc. for indicating time unit etc. being larger by one figure or order. Due to the above, a person meets with a difficulty in that he cannot read or confirm the indicating numerals easily and quickly.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a digital indicating machine in which indicating letters, numerals, signs or the like can be indicated in a large fashion so that man can read or confirm said letters etc. very easily and quickly through a largely opened indicating window.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital indicating machine in which the indicating letters, numerals, signs or the like at the indicating window are changed in a smooth fashion.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a digital indicating machine which is compact or small in scale though it facilitates large indication of indicating letters, numerals, signs or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention and its attendant advantages will become more readily apparent as the specification is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partially cut away, of a digital clock embodying the digital indicating machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the digital clock shown in FIG. 1 taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the driving mechanism of endless indicating belts employed in the digital clock shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, partially cut away, of the driving mechanism shown in FIG. 3 taken along line lV-IV ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, partially cut away, similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modification of the digital clock shown in FIGS. 1 through 4; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the driving wheel 21 and the pinion 30.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views thereof, there is shown a digital clock according to the present invention in FIGS. 1 through 4. The housing 1 of the clock is provided at the front wall thereof with three windows 2 at which there are respectively indicated three numerals for indicating time units, namely one numeral for indicating hours and two numerals for indicating minutes. Said numerals are marked with equal intervals therebetween on respective endless indicating belts 3, 4 and 5 which are trained over guiding rollers in such a manner that the belts can be travelled along respective predetermined paths and, on the way of the travel, are passed behind the windows 2. That is, the endless belt 3 carrying numerals for indicating hours is trained, as shown in FIG. 2, over six guiding rollers 6, 7, 8, 9, l0 and 11 in such a manner that it can be travelled in the direction shown with arrow A and is passed behind one of the indicating windows 2 on the way of the travel, and the endless belt 4 carrying numerals of 10 orders minutes and the endless belt 5 carrying numerals of one orders minutes are trained similarly over several rollers (not shown in the drawings). Each of the endless belts 3, 4 and 5 is provided with a number of perforations 3a, 4a or 5a along a lengthwise edge thereof and is travelled intermittently with the rotation of sprocket wheel 13, 14 or 15 which is engaged with the perforations of the belts 3, 4 or 5. On the way of the travel of each endless belt 3, 4 or 5, there is provided at the housing 1 guiding groove 16, 17 or 18 which facilitates a smooth and proper engagement between projections of each sprocket wheel l3, 14 or 15 and perforations 3a, 4a or 5a of each belt 3, 4 or 5.

In the housing 1 there is fixedly provided a shaft 20 on which a driven wheel 19 and a driving wheel 21 are rotatably mounted in face to face relation. The periphery of the driven wheel 19 is provided with con tinuously arranged teeth 22 at the side faced to the driving wheel 21. The driving wheel 21 is provided in one body with a pair of intermittently driving teeth 23 and a braking wheel 25 having a hollow 24 adjacent the groove 23a between the teeth 23 at the side faced to the driven wheel 19, and, at the other side, the periphery of the driving wheel 21 is provided with continuously arranged teeth 26. Between the wheels 19 and 21, there is arranged a pinion 30. The pinion 0 has on its periphery continuously arranged teeth 27 which are engaged with the continuously arranged teeth 22 of the driven wheel 19, continuously arranged teeth 28 which are engaged with the intermittently driving teeth 23 of the driving wheel 21, and intermittently arranged teeth 29 which are engaged with the hollow 24 of the driving wheel 21. Further, the sprocket wheel 14 for driving the endless belt 4 carrying numerals of IO orders minutes is fixedly provided to the pinion 30. That is, said teeth 27, 28 and 29 and sprocket wheel 14 has a common hub 32 which is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft 31. Every time that the driving wheel 21 rotates by one cycle, the driven wheel 19 is driven to rotate intermittently by one-tenth cycle and the sprocket wheel 14 is driven to rotate intermittently by one-fourth cycle. That is, in this embodiment, the sprocket wheel 14 is combined with the pinion 30 in one body by means of the common hub 32, is formed into one with large diameter in order to travel the endless belt 4 largely when the wheel 14 is rotated intermittently, and is projected from between the continuously arranged teeth 28, which is formed small in diameter in order to be rotated in a large rotation angle (90) intermittently by the driving wheel 21, and the continuously arranged teeth 27 which is formed small in diameter in order to give a definite rotation ratio (for example 3:1) between the pinion 30 and the driven wheel 19. In this embodiment there are 36 continuously arranged teeth 22, 12 of the continuously arranged teeth 27 and teeth 28 of the pinion 30, and four of the intermittently arranged teeth 29.

As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 3 and 4, when the driving wheel 21 is in a position in which the hollow or groove 24-and the teeth 23 do not engage the teeth 29 and 28, respectfully, the periphery of the braking wheel 25 extends arcuately between two adjacent intermittently arranged teeth 29 and prevents rotation of the pinion 30.

A pinion 33 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 31 and is engaged with the continuously arranged teeth 26 of the driving wheel 21. The pinion is combined by means of a common hub 34 with the sprocket wheel for driving the endless belt 5 carrying numerals for indicating one orders minutes. Further, on the shaft there is rotatably mounted a driving wheel 35 for driving the belt 3 carrying numerals for indicating hours. The driving wheel 35 is combined in one body with the driven wheel 19 by means of a common hub 36. The wheel 35 is provided in one body with a pair of intermittently driving teeth 37 and a braking wheel 39 having a hollow 38 similar to the aforementioned driving wheel 21. The sprocket wheel 13 has a common hub 48 with a pinion 42 to form one body with said pinion, and the pinion 42 has continuously arranged teeth 40, which are engaged with the intermittently driving teeth 37 of the driving wheel 35 intermittently, and intermittently arranged teeth 41 which are engaged with the hollow 38 of the driving wheel 35.

In the housing 1 there is provided a driving source 43 which drives the driving wheel 21 to rotate intermittently one-tenth cycle per minute through intermittently cooperating mechanism 45 and 46 and a clutch 47 i.e., the motor 43 drives the wheel 45 continuously, and a conventional intermittent drive-transmitting mechanism (not shown) transmitts rotation from the wheel 45 to the wheel 46 intermittently so that the wheel 46 rotates intermittently one-tenth cycle per minute. The intermittent rotation of the wheel 46 is transmitted to the driving wheel 21 through the clutch, which may be conventional, which prevents transmission of rotation from the driving wheel 21 to the wheel 46 when the driving wheel is rotated manually in the case of time adjusting or correcting. The numbers of respective continuously arranged teeth 26, 33, 28, 27, 22 and 40 and respective intermittently'arranged teeth 29 and 41 and also the numbers and the positions of respective intermittently driving teeth 23 and 37 and respective hollows 24 and 38 are predetermined so that the pinion 33 and therefore the sprocket wheel 15 are rotated by one-fourth cycle every time when the driving wheel 21 is rotated by one-tenth cycle, the pinion 30 and therefore the sprocket wheel 14 are rotated by one-fourth cycle and the driven wheel 19 is rotated by one-twelfth cycle every time when the driving wheel 21 is rotated by one cycle, and the pinion 42 and therefore the sprocket wheel 13 are rotated by one-fourth cycle every time when the driven wheel 19 and therefore the driving wheel 35 are rotated by one-half cycle.

Thus, the sprocket wheel 15 is rotated intermittently once a minute by one-fourth cycle, the sprocket wheel 14 is rotated intermittently every 10 minutes by onefourth cycle, and the sprocket wheel 13 is rotated intermittently once an hour by one-fourth cycle. Three numerals representing the time units of each point of time, namely a numeral representing hours, a numeral representing 10 orders minutes and a numeral representing one orders minutes are indicated at the indicating windows 2 by giving intervals betweentwo adjacent indicating numerals on each of the endless belts 3, 4 and 5 which intervals correspond to each travelled or forwarded distance of the belts.

In the digital indicating machine according to the present invention, sprocket wheels for driving or travelling the endless indicating belts are combined with pinions which are driven to rotate intermittently only when driving wheels are rotated by a certain degree (one cycle or one-half cycle) so that each pinion with small diameter is rotated by a large angle whereby the sprocket wheels are rotated largely to give a large distance of each intermittent movement. Owing to the large distance of each movement of the sprocket wheels, the endless indicating belts are moved or forwarded intermittently by a large distance of each movement so that each of the numerals indicating time units can be marked largely on the belts, whereby said numerals are indicated largely at the indicating windows.

Further, the intermittently driven pinions drive the driven wheels intermittently by the same angle as the rotation angle of said pinions so that the driving wheels of next stage combined with said driven wheels are rotated by the same large angle of rotation, whereby the latter driving wheels drive largely the pinions engaged therewith intermittently. By constructing the transmitting mechanism from one stage to the next stage with a pinion of the former stage and a driven wheel of the latter stage as detailed above, the rotation of the driving wheel of the first stage can be transmitted intermittently to all of the driving wheels of the following stages.

Furthermore, the driving mechanism of the endless indicating belts comprising intermittently driven sprocket wheels engaged with the perforations of the belts facilitates a smooth and proper travel of the belts.

Although the sprocket wheels for travelling the endless indicating belts are combined with the intermittently driven pinions in one body in the aforestated embodiment of the present invention, said sprocket wheels may be connected to the pinions through suitable speed-increasing mechanism. Further, though even the sprocket wheel of the first stage is driven to rotate intermittently in the aforestated embodiment of the present invention, this sprocket wheel may be driven to rotate continuously, for example when said sprocket wheel drives an endless indicating belt for indicating seconds or the digital machine is the one for indicating consumed electric quantity.

Furthermore, though sprocket wheels l3, l4 and are so arranged that they are engaged with respective endless belts 3, 4 and 5 at the upper position of the interior of the housing 1 in the aforestated embodiment, such sprocket wheels may be engaged with the belts 3, 4 and 5 at any desired position of the interior of the housing 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, sprocket wheel 1 13 for driving or travelling the endless indicating belt 3 carrying numerals representing hours is so arranged in the housing 1 that the wheel 113 is engaged with the belt 3 above one of the indicating windows 2 after the belt 3 has passed behind the windows 2. in this case, the distance between the shaft of the driving wheel 35 and the shaft 31 of the .pinion 42 becomes enlarged so that a sprocket wheel with larger diameter can be employed as said sprocket wheel 113 whereby a larger distance of each intermittent movement or travel may be given to the endless belt 3. This gives the possibility of still larger indication of numerals on the belt 3 and also gives the possibility of omitting window-glass of the window 2 which prevents the belt 3 from projecting or going out of the window 2 because the belt portion behind the window is always pulled under tension by the sprocket wheel 113. Similarly, said sprocket wheel and the other sprocket wheels may be engaged below the indicating windows 2 after the indicating belts have passed behind the windows 2 when the belts are moved or travelled downwardly behind the windows, and also may be engaged at left or right sides of the windows 2 after the indicating belts have passed behind the windows 2 when the belts are moved or travelled in left or right directions behind the windows.

In addition, intermittently driving mechanism between one of the driving wheels and one of the pinions may be constructed with a number of pins projected laterally from a side wall of the pinion with equal intervals therebetween on a circle and an intermittently driving teeth or projection on the driving wheel, as well known to the art. So, the term continuously arranged teeth" in this specification includes not only continuously arranged teeth provided on a periphery of a pinion like a usual gear but continuously arranged pins on a side wall ofa pinion like a so-called pin wheel.

Having now described the invention and having exemplified the manner in which it can be carried into practice, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A digital indicating machine comprising a plurality of endless indicating belts each of which carries indicating means thereon and is provided with a number of perforations along a lengthwise edge with equal intervals therebetween, guiding means which support each of said indicating belts so that the belt may be travelled along a path to pass behind indicating windows of the machine, sprocket wheels which are engaged with the perfora ions of respective indicating belts on the way-of said path so as to travel the belts with the rotation of said wheels, a plurality of driving wheels each of which is rotatably mounted on a shaft, means for intermittently rotating one of the driving wheels through a predetermined arc, a braking wheel connected to each driving wheel and having an intermittently driving groove in the periphery thereof, a pair of intermittently driving teeth extending from each braking wheel, the driving teeth providing a groove that forms an extension of said groove on the braking wheel, and a pinion for each driving wheel, each pinion including intermittently arranged teeth engagable with the intermittently driving groove in the associated braking wheel and continuously arranged teeth engageable with the intermittently driving teeth on the associated braking wheel, each of the wheels being operatively connected with one of the pinions.

2. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 including a driven wheel rotatably mounted adjacent one of the driving wheels on the shaft mounting said one driving wheel, the driven wheel including continuously arranged teeth adjacent said one driving wheel, the pinion associated with said one wheel including continuously arranged teeth engaging the continuously arranged teeth of the driven wheel.

3. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein each sprocket wheel is engaged with the perforations of the associated indicating belt after the belt has passed behind the indicating windows.

4. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein all of said pinions are rotatably mounted on the same shaft.

5. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein the housing is provided with guiding grooves for the indicating belts and the sprocket wheels are engaged with the perforations of the belts in said guiding grooves.

6. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein said one driving wheel includes continuously arranged teeth, another pinion rotatably mounted on a shaft and having continuously arranged teeth engaging the continuously arranged teeth of said one driving wheel, and a sprocket operatively connected to said other pinion. 

1. A digital indicating machine comprising a plurality of endless indicating belts each of which carries indicating means thereon and is provided with a number of perforations along a lengthwise edge with equal intervals therebetween, guiding means which support each of said indicating belts so that the belt may be travelled along a path to pass behind indicating windows of the machine, sprocket wheels which are engaged with the perforations of respective indicating belts on the way of said path so as to travel the belts with the rotation of said wheels, a plurality of driving wheels each of which is rotatably mounted on a shaft, means for intermittently rotating one of the driving wheels through a predetermined arc, a braking wheel connected to each driving wheel and having an intermittently driving groove in the periphery thereof, a pair of intermittently driving teeth extending from each braking wheel, the driving teeth providing a groove that forms an extension of said groove on the braking wheel, and a pinion for each driving wheel, each pinion including intermittently arranged teeth engagable with the intermittently driving groove in the associated braking wheel and continuously arranged teeth engageable with the intermittently driving teeth on the associated braking wheel, each of the wheels being operatively connected with one of the pinions.
 2. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 including a driven wheel rotatably mounted adjacent one of the driving wheels on the shaft mounting said one driving wheel, the driven wheel including continuously arranged teeth adjacent said one driving wheel, the pinion associated with said one wheel including continuously arranged teeth engaging the continuously arranged teeth of the driven wheel.
 3. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein each sprocket wheel is engaged with the perforations of the associated indicating belt after the belt has passed behind the indicating windows.
 4. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein all of said pinions are rotatably mounted on the same shaft.
 5. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein the housing is provided with guiding grooves for the indicating belts and the sprocket wheels are engaged with the perforations of the belts in said guiding grooves.
 6. The digital indicating machine of claim 1 wherein said one driving wheel includes continuously arranged teeth, another pinion rotatably mounted on a shaft and having continuously arranged teeth engaging the continuously arranged teeth of said one driving wheel, and a sprocket operatively connected to said other pinion. 